Marcus and Valerie arrived home, and true to his word, Marcus didn’t let the dress last long. He pulled her close, showering her with kisses and caresses, leaving no space for the lingering tension of the evening. After their passionate moment, Valerie fell asleep in his arms, but Marcus’s restless
After the couple left the bar, the atmosphere between the remaining two shifted dramatically. The cordiality they had shown each other evaporated. It was clear they’d been forcing themselves to get along, but for Maximus, being around Alexia was enough to give him a headache.“Maximus, did you alrea
After Valerie brought Marcus back from the garden, the two of them returned to the bedroom. During dinner, the new bed for the master bedroom had been delivered and set up, so tonight, they wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor. She hugged him, running her fingers through his unruly hair. Valerie love
The next morning, Maximus left for the Valeria airport, where the jet waiting to transport him was already prepared. Unlike other trips, this time he was alone. There were no young women accompanying him—a stark contrast to his usual habit of using long trips as an excuse to dazzle some unsuspecting
Serenity had been born from a tragic love story. Her early years were tough, though she was too young to remember most of it. As she grew older, one constant memory stood out—Marcus. To her, he had always been her father. Even though her mother, determined to keep Peter’s memory alive, had shared pa
Maximus held the coffee-stained jacket in one hand as he stepped into the car waiting for him. The driver began the trip to the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. During the ride, Maximus tried to check his emails, but every time he attempted to focus, the image of the girl he had just met crept back into h
After hanging up with her daughter, Valerie felt a tightness in her chest. It was as though she could sense something was wrong, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. At first, she thought it was because Serenity was traveling to Spain, but after seeing her on the video call, perfectly happy and sa
Marcus exited the emergency area, accompanied by an officer. He wore an uncomfortable neck brace and was being escorted to a private office to give his statement. As someone of prominence, he was kept away from prying eyes and curious onlookers.Walking alongside the officer, who barely came up to h
[A few months earlier ]It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him—as long as he was okay with her company.He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly eve
Valerie approached, one last time, one of the most important women in her life in Valeria.Emma Fiore—the woman who had taken her in almost like a daughter. While they had grown close during the three years Valerie was married to Maximus, their bond went far beyond that. They were family.Emma had c
After that hug, Valerie walked over to Laura, Serenity's sister, with whom she'd developed a bit of a bond."Laura and beautiful Adele—I wish you both all the success in the world… You must finish your studies and use your degree. You're living proof that it's possible—and that's exactly what your l
The day had finally come—the Bartz family and the newly formed Palmer-Bartz family were leaving for Hesperia.Without meaning to, the three families found themselves gathered once again at the airport.Marcus was saying goodbye to Peter, who, due to his memory loss, only held onto the memories of th
While Valerie packed up their things for the move back to Hesperia, Peter was driving with Celeste and their little girls toward Willowcombe.He was taking her to see how the renovations on the house—where they'd soon be living—were coming along.Celeste was in the back seat with the girls, tending
Valerie was packing clothes into the suitcases, though she kept drifting off, thinking about the reason they'd come here in the first place.At first, everything had seemed simple—quick even. Within a few months, they'd be back in Hesperia. But it had already been over a year.Things hadn't gone as
After Maximus said goodbye to Pierre, he went back into the mansion and headed straight to his son's room. Paul was lying on his bed, facing away from the door."Paul, can I come in?" Maximus asked gently."You're already in, Dad… Are you here to scold me for something that happened years ago?" Paul
"That's right. I'd like to speak with him alone, if you don't mind, Mr. Evans.""I think you're misunderstanding something. Letting you into my home doesn't mean you get to decide whether I'm in the conversation or not. Still, I'm trying to be reasonable—and if Paul wants to speak with you alone, on
Not too thrilled about it, Paul left his room and headed toward the garden, where a man was already waiting for him—one who didn't look his age. And to be honest, the resemblance between young Paul and the man was unmistakable.As soon as he heard footsteps approaching, the man—already sipping a cup